LONLAY l'ABBAYE, FRANCE -- LONLAY-I’ABBAYE, FRANCE – There are many American Flags flying in the Normandy region of France, signifying the lasting gratitude the people have there for America’s role in liberating their country during WW2. One flag stands alone, however, atop a flagpole in the middle of a hay field in Lonlay l’Abbaye. As it blows in the wind, it marks the site where the “Chow-Hound,” an American B-17 Flying Fortress, was downed after being hit by enemy flak on Aug. 8, 1944.
Airmen from the Air Force Reserve’s 514th Air Mobility Wing, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J, traveled to the village of Lonly l"Abbaye on August 8 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the fatal crash and honor the nine crew members who lost their lives as part of the Allied liberation of Nazi-occupied France:
1st Lt. Jack Thompson, 2nd Lt. David J. Nelson, 2nd Lt. Charles Bacigalupa, 2nd Lt. Charles Sherill, Tech. Sgt. Henry Kortebein, Tech. Sgt. Blake Treece, Sgt. Gerald Gillies, Sgt. Warren Godsey, and Sgt. Richard R. Collins
According to the townspeople of Lonlay l’Abbaye, shortly after the crash, a few witnesses rushed to the site and temporarily buried the bodies of four of the crewmembers. U.S. troops later recovered the bodies of two additional crewmembers, but the remaining three were Missing in Action for 60 years until 2004.
Sgt. Gerald Gillies was one of the crewmembers whose bodies was excavated all those years later. His granddaughter, Jody Kleinstein, traveled to Lonlay l’Abbaye from Texas to attend the 80th anniversary commemoration.
“It is so touching,” Kleinstein said. “It's hard to believe, actually, that this town still remembers after all these years – And if it wasn’t for the people in this village we wouldn’t have had our grandfather back. They recovered his body and kept it until we could transfer it back to Kansas in 2004.”
Over the years, the 514th AMW has fostered a close relationship with the small town and its residents, as well as the family members of the crew who made the ultimate sacrifice.
BRINGING THE CHOW-HOUND HOME
In 2011, the first contingent of Airmen from the 514th AMW flew a C-17 Globemaster III to Normandy to retrieve wreckage from the Chow-Hound. They arrived to Lonlay-l’Abbaye with a warm welcome from its mayor and residents and took part in a ceremony to honor the fallen WWII crew.
The Reservists returned home to JBMDL with a piece of the bomber’s wing that had been resting in a farmer’s field since the crash.
"The Chow-Hound's last flight did not end with a crash in a farmer's field in France, but it flew home and was greeted by family members with honor and dignity," Col. Dennis Duffy, former 732nd Airlift Squadron commander, said at the time.
That portion of the wing is now on permanent display at JBDML’s air passenger terminal to honor the crew and their sacrifice. Back in Lonlay l’Abbaye, a memorial plaque with the crewmembers’ names is displayed proudly on a massive statue in the town square.
Members of the Freedom Wing were invited back to the region in 2019 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the crash and again this year for the 80th anniversary.
80TH ANNIVERSARY
This year, the contingent from the 514th AMW traveled to both the American Cemetery in Normandy to participate in retreat and to the village of Lonlay l’Abbaye for a sentimental ceremony.
After marching through the narrow streets of the village, the Airmen stood among French veterans and local residents as the mayor delivered a speech thanking the fallen aircrew. Lt. Col. Justin Reynolds, commander of the 732d Airlift Squadron, followed with a heartfelt, bilingual speech highlighting the crew’s sacrifice and the town’s commitment to keeping their legacy alive.
“The nine men of the Chow-Hound that day joined the ranks of so many of their brothers in arms whose lives ended here in fields of Normandy,” Reynolds said. “We know by the presence of so many here today that the particular sacrifice of this crew at the altar of Freedom was not in vein and will never be forgotten. We know that in commemorating the sacrifices of the men of the Chow-Hound that we are also remembering the extraordinary sacrifices made by ordinary Americans and their families at every level in this conflict.”
Col. Christopher Holland, commander of the 514th AMW, also joined his troops on the mission to Normandy where he was able to create unique memories with his Airmen.
“Imagining what it must have been like for the crew of the Chow-Hound and the villagers who witnessed it while standing at the crash site was surreal,” Holland said. “The sacrifices of the Greatest Generation in defense of freedom simply cannot be overstated. The citizens of Lonlay-l’Abbaye understood then and gratefully remember today.”
The day’s events ended with an intimate reception where the Airmen were able to mingle with the French townspeople and the fallen aircrew’s families.
“The town’s hospitality, excitement, and gratitude was evident and shows how strong the partnership ties remain between our countries all the way to the individual level,” Holland said. “Our Freedom Wing Airmen experiencing their heritage, the sacrifices of those before them, seeing the impact of military service across generations, and the tie the Chow-Hound has to JB-MDL and our local community is a huge win all the way around. It was an honor.”